


An Excellent Soldier

by DanjaBlue



Series: Beta Blues [2]
Category: Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s01e05 Stardust City Rag, Ghosts, Past Character Death, Spiritual, Tags Contain Spoilers, What Have I Done, What Was I Thinking?, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:55:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22832917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanjaBlue/pseuds/DanjaBlue
Summary: OneShot.  Seven and Picard meet.  Spoilers for "Stardust City Rag".  R&R.
Series: Beta Blues [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1643098
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	An Excellent Soldier

"JL, we're being scanned," said Raffi as she examined the sensor array.

"By _WHAT?"_ Picard asked.

"They're using multiple frequencies," Raffi replied. "Some Federation, some Borg."

"Are there any cubes?" Rios asked.

"Negative, Captain," Raffi replied. "Just one ship twenty parsecs off our stern ... A cruiser."

"I was wondering if you would ask Raffi to hail her," Picard said to Rios.

" _HER?_ " Rios exclaimed. "You know this person? Or are we speaking of 'Her' in the ship sense?"

"It's probably Seven of Nine," said Picard. "I wouldn't put it past her to install Borg modifications on her vessel."

"I concur with JL," said Raffi. "She's probably got a TON of Borg gear on her ship."

_Figures_ , Rios thought. _This is her showing off, her flexing her muscles._

"Hail her," Rios commanded.

Raffi hailed the ship. _Hello, Seven._

"It's Seven," said Raffi. 

"Ask her if she has a new ship," Rios asked.

Raffi sent the message. "Yes, it's new," came the reply.

"I was wondering if you would ask Raffi to ask Seven if she would mind landing," Picard asked Rios. "I'd like to talk to her."

"It's just as well. I've got some stuff on Sirena to work on," said Rios. He then commanded Raffi, "Ask Seven to land."

* * *

_BALDON SALT FLATS_

_NEXAR THREE_

Seven leaned up against the front of Jay's cruiser (Seven had seized it as a criminal asset – after all, _Jay_ wasn't going to be using it again anytime soon).

The ship was sleek, maneuverable, and fast – just what Seven needed.

Seven watched as the Sirena touched down on the salt flat floor. The ground was hard and crystalline white (the remnants of a long-dried-up salt lake). Blue mountains lay off in the distance.

A door in Sirena's side opened. Picard stepped out of the open door.

“Nice ship,” said Picard as he walked towards Seven and her ship.

“Thanks,” said Seven. She then added with a smirk, “Criminal asset seizure. Its previous owner isn't going to be needing it anytime soon.”

_She killed Jay,_ Picard thought. _I might've known after she asked for those two rifles._

“Is there a _REASON_ you asked me to come here?” Seven asked.

“Captain Rios has to do some maintenance on Sirena,” said Picard. “I was hoping the two of us could talk.”

“About what?” Seven asked.

“You're every bit the person Janeway said you were,” said Picard.

“Ancient history,” said Seven. “I was young … naive ...”

“She's still there,” said Picard. “She's buried underneath several layers of hard, caked-on _merde_ , but she's there nonetheless.”

“You have a way of getting inside people's heads, Jean-Luc,” said Seven.

"Admiral Janeway thinks the world of you ... "

"I've seen what Starfleet _REALLY_ thinks of me," Seven growled. "They love me so much, they tried to throw me out a damned airlock!

"You and Janeway can take your Starfleet morality and stick it!" Seven snapped.

"I don't blame you for being angry," said Picard.

"You don't know the half of it," Seven replied.

“I was hoping to get to know you,” said Picard. “I want to know the woman behind the file.”

“People who get close to me have this _NASTY_ habit of turning up dead,” said Seven.

“I'm dying, Seven,” said Picard.

_Irumodic Syndrome,_ Seven thought as she recalled Janeway's briefing over subspace.

“No matter _WHAT_ happens, I'll die eventually,” said Picard.

“We all will,” said Seven.

“I'm sorry about happened to Mr. Icheb,” said Picard. “You have my condolences.”

“He was a good student,” said Seven mournfully. “He was as close as a son to me.

"He gave HIS life to save _MINE_.” _Even though I didn't deserve it,_ Seven thought.

“It's what happens when people love you,” said Picard. 

* * *

_Seven sat on the sofa in her living room, squeezing Icheb's comm badge tightly. An Old Fashioned glass filled with bourbon on the rocks and an open bottle of Jim Beam sat on the coffee table in front of her._

“ _I'm sorry, Icheb,” she said. Tears streamed down her face. “I'm sorry, Icheb. I wish I could've been there for you._

“ _I vowed to protect you … and I let you down.”_

_Why did it have to be_ HIM? _Seven thought. It should've been_ ME _on that table._ I _should've been dead long ago._

_He was a complete and total innocent. He was light years better than me. He didn't deserve_ _what that bitch Jay dished out to him._

_I fished him out of a maturation tank. He didn't have anything to give!_

“ _Hello, Seven,” said a male voice standing before her._

_Seven looked up. Icheb stood before her in his red Starfleet Lieutenant's uniform._

“ _Icheb,” said Seven. “What are you doing here?”_

“ _I wanted to see you,” said Icheb. “I miss you.”_

_How can this be? Seven thought. You're dead!_

“ _I miss you too,” said Seven._

“ _You're not alone,” said Icheb. “We'll always be together.”_

“ _I'm sorry, Icheb.”_

“ _I love you,” said Icheb._

“ _I love you too,” said Seven. “I'm sorry. I failed you.”_

“ _You did what you could,” said Icheb. “I'm not angry”._

“ _Forgive me.”_

“ _There's nothing to forgive,” said Icheb. “I'll always be with you.” He then disappeared._

* * *

"He was like a little puppy," said Seven to Picard. She then smiled and said, "Always into everything. Always wanted to _DO_ everything. 'Let's Go! Let's Go! Let's Go!' 

"I feel him. I sense him. He's in the air that I breathe."

"Couldn't you have just _arrested_ her?" Picard asked.

" _PEOPLE_ go to jail, Jean-Luc," said Seven. " _ANIMALS_ ... are put down."

THE END


End file.
